Collapsible enclosure



1386- 30, 1969 K. M. FULSEBAKKE COLLAPSIBLE ENCLOSURE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 26, 1968 F'lGr-l FIG E K M R 0 5 M rr V N" 1 N M T w R K Bufllm ATTORNEYS FIG.-4

Dec. 30., 1969 FULSEBAKKE COLLAPSIBLE ENCLQSURE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 26, 1968 u s A ON ME Ts N NM R W m, mM WA United States Patent US. Cl. 135-1 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A collapsible shelter adapted to be folded and unfolded rapidly, which when in a folded configuration is a relatively small rectangular box and which when erected includes a normally horizontal platform composed of panels hinged in edge to edge relationship and a front wall which depends generally downwardly from the front edge of the platform and consists of a plurality of panels hinged in edge to edge relationship, the panels in the platform and front wall being mounted on common hinge lines so that when folded in upon itself the rigid structure is no larger than the largest of these panels, and a tentstretched over and supported by the rigid structure.

Considerable difiiculty had previously been encountered in providing a collapsible shelter which would be small and compact when folded, yet easily and rapidly erected. Prior structures, and particularly those designed for mounting on automobiles, have been diflicult and complicated to erect and of large, inconvenient proportions when in the collapsed configuration.

These and other disadvantages of the prior art have been overcome by way of the present invention.

For a more detailed description of one embodiment of the invention reference is made to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the collapsible shelter of this invention in the collapsed configuration mounted on a vehicle;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the erected shelter of this invention in the erected configuration mounted on a vehicle;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the rigid structure of the collapsible shelter;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the tent portion of the collapsible shelter;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the collapsible shelter in the collapsed configuration mounted on a four-legged support;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the collapsible shelter partially erected;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the collapsible shelter partially erected;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view collapsible shelter;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of the completely collapsed collapsible shelter;

FIG. 10 is a plan view of the rigid structure in the first state of erection; r

FIG. 11 is a plan view of the rigid structure of the second stage of erection;

FIG. 12 is a plan view of the rigid structure in the third stage of erection;

FIG. 13 is a side elevation of the erected structure; and

FIG. 14 is a front elevation of the erected structure.

With particular reference to FIGURES 3, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 there is illustrated a collapsible shelter 10 which is provided with a rigid structure 12. Rigid structure 12 includes a normally horizontal platform 14 Which is provided with a front edge 16, a rear edge 18, a first side edge 20, and a second side edge 22. Platform 14 is of the completely erected "ice composed of a plurality of hingeably connected foldable panels, including central panel 24 which is provided with a first side edge 26 and a second side edge 28. First side panel 30 is hingeably mounted along its inner side edge 32 to first side edge 26 of central panel 24 by means of surface hinges 34. Surface hinges 34 are mounted on the upper side edges of a first side edge 26 of central panel 24 and the inner side edge 32 of first side panel 30. First side panel 30 is provided with outer side edge 36.

Second side panel 40 is mounted at its inner side edge 42 to second side edge 28 of central panel 24 by means of hinges 44. The hinges 44 are surface hinges which are mounted on the adjacent upper sides edges of second side panel 40 and central panel 24. Second side panel 40 is provided with outer side edge 46.

First head panel is provided with inner side edge 52 which is hinged to first side panel outer side edge 36 by means of hinges 54. Hinges 54 are mounted on the surface of inner side edge 52 and outer side edge 36 and are adapted to lock in the position wherein first head panel 50 is perpendicular to first side panel 30 so that first head panel 50 depends upwardly from platform 14. Second head panel 56 is provided with inner side edge 58 which is mounted by means of hinges 60 on outer side edge 46 of second side panel 40. Hinges 60, like hinges 54, are adapted to lock in such a position that second head panel 56 depends upwardly from platform 14. First and second side edges 26 and 28, respectively, of central panel 24, inner and outer side edges 32 and 36 of first side panel 30, inner and outer side edges 42 and 46, respectively, of second side panel 40, and inner side edges 52 and 58 of first and second head panels 50 and 56, respectively, are all about the same length so that when platform 14 is unfolded to its full width, it provides a rectangular surface which is adapted to support mattress and sleeping bags. The widths of first and second side panels 30 and 40, respectively, are selected so that they are no greater than one-half the Width of central panel 24, and the width of first and second head panels 50 and 5-6, respectively, are selected so that they are no greater than the widths of first and second side panels 30 and 40, respectively, so that when platform 14 is folded to its smallest dimensions it will result in a flat package with its greatest dimensions being no larger in the plan view than the dimensions of central panel 24.

The upper edge 64 of front wall 62 is positioned a djacent to the front edge 16 of platform 14. Front wall 62 depends downwardly from the front edge 16 of platform 14. Front wall 62 includes middle wall 66 which is provided with a first side edge 68, a second side edge 70, and a lower edge 72. First side wall 74 is provided with side edge 76 which is positioned adjacent to first side edge '68 of middle Wall 66. First side wall 74 is mounted to middle wall 66 by means of surface hinges 78. Surface hinges 78 are mounted on the outer side of front wall 62. The upper inner edge 77 of first Wall 74 is mounted to the front lower edge of first side panel 30 by means of surface hinges 79, see FIG. 10. Biased side edge 80 of first side Wall 74 serves as one outer edge of front wall 62. Second side wall 82 is provided with a side edge 84 which is positioned adjacent to second side edge 70 of middle wall 66. Second side wall 82 is mounted to middle wall 66 by means of surface hinges 86 which are attached to the outer side of front wall 62. Upper edge of second side wall 82 is positioned adjacent to the front edge of second side panel 40. Surface hinges 87 are mounted on the respective upper inner edge of side wall 82 and the front lower edge of side wall 40, see FIGS. 6 and 10. Biased side edge 88 of second side wall 82 serves as one outside edge of front wall 62.

Foot board 90 is hingedly mounted dependently outward from lower edge 72 of middle wall 66 by means of hinges 92. Foot board 90 is held in a generally outwardly dependent position relative to front wall 62 by means of chains 93, see FIG. 13.

First shelf member 94 extends generally horizontally outwardly from first side panel 30. Rear edge 96 of first shelf member 94 is positioned adjacent to the upper edge 77 of first side wall 74. The lower rear edge of first shelf 94 is mounted to the upper outer edge of first side wall 74 by means of hinges 98. Second shelf member 95 extends generally horizontally from second side panel 40. The rear edge 97 of second shelf 95 is positioned adjacent the front edge of second side panel 40. The rear lower edge of second shelf member 95 is mounted to the upper outer edge of second side wall 82 by means of surface hinges 99.

The rigid structure portion 12 of collapsible shelter is generally symmetrical about a center line extending from rear edge 18 of platform 14 through lower edge 72 of middle wall 66. The panel and the wall members are mountable on common hinge lines to facilitate folding. Hinges 34 and 78 are mounted on a common hinge line, as are hinges 44 and 86.

Tent 104 is stretched over and supported by rigid structure 12. Tent 104 is supported above platform 14 by front tent support pole 100 and rear support pole 102. Support poles 100 and 102, respectively, are pivotally mounted to central panel 24 at their lower ends and are afiixed to tent 104 at their upper ends so that when the support poles are pivoted into the erect position they carry tent 104 with them.

Tent 104 includes envelope front 106 which is bisected by an opening which is closed by a zipper 108. The remainder of tent 104 includes first and second envelope sides 110 and 112, respectively, first and second envelope ceilings 114 and 116, respectively, and the envelope rear 118 which contains an opening which is closed by zipper 120. Tent 104 is attached to rigid structure 12 by means of various envelope fasteners 121. Tent 104 is fastened to the rigid structure along the outside edges of platform 14 and front wall 62. Shelves 94 and 95 are supported at their outer ends solely by attachment to tent 104.

Collapsible shelter 10 is mounted on shelter support 122 or on automobile support mount 124.

In use the collapsible shelter is erected with a minimum of difiiculty because the tent 104 is attached to the rigid structure 12 so that as rigid structure 12 is unfolded it carries tent 104 with it. The sequence followed in unfolding the rigid structure 12 is illustrated particularly in FIGURES 9, 10, 11 and 12. The completely collapsed shelter is shown in plan view in FIG. 9. In FIG. 10 the still folded platform 14 and front wall 62 have been unfolded from one another along the common hinge line enjoyed by hinges 79 and 87. In FIG. 11 the platform 14 and front wall 62 have been unfolded along the two common hinge lines, one of which is that enjoyed by hinges 34 and 78 and the other of which is that hinge line enjoyed by hinges 44 and 86. In FIG. 12 the head panels 50 and 56 have been moved to their upwardly depending positions and front wall 62 has been lowered to its downwardly dependent position along the common hinge line enjoyed by hinges 79 and 87. Foot board 90 is also unfolded to its outwardly dependent position as shown particularly in FIGS. 12 and 13. Tent 104 is unfolded with the rigid structure 12.

As will be understood by those skilled in the art what has been described are preferred embodiments in which modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the accompanying claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A collapsible shelter adapted to be folded into a substantially rectangular box shape, the rigid structure of said unit when erected comprising:

a normally horizontal platform including;

a central panel;

a pair of side panels hinged to and extending respectively from opposed upper side edges of said central panel;

a pair of head panels hinged to and depending respectively from remote opposed upper side edges of said side panels, said side panels being supported by said central panel in a generally horizontal position and said head panels being supported by said respective side panels in a generally vertical position;

a front wall depending downwardly from the front edge of said platform including;

a middle wall;

a pair of side walls hinged to and extending respectively from outer opposed side edges of said middle wall, respective upper inner edges of said side walls being hinged to and depending from respective lower front edges of said side panels;

a foot board hinged to and depending outwardly from an outer lower edge of said middle wall;

a pair of shelf members hinged to and depending generally horizontally respectively from upper outer edges of said respective side walls;

a pair of tent support poles pivotally mounted respectively at about the upper front and upper rear edges of said central panel; and

a tent stretched over and supported by said rigid structure, said shelf members being supported in a generally horizontal position by attachment to said tent, said tent having an opening between said shelf members.

2. The collapsible shelter of claim 1 wherein each of said hinges is a surface hinge.

3. The collapsible shelter of claim 1 wherein each of the side edges of said panels is about the same length, and the front edge of said central panel is substantially the same length as the upper edge of said middle wall.

4. The collapsible shelter of claim 1 wherein the width of said respective side panels is less than about one-half the width of said central panel.

5. The collapsible shelter of claim 1 including support means for said central panel.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,481,230 9/1949 MacDonald. 3,097,013 7/1963 Mussler.

KENNETH DOWNEY, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 52-71; -4 

